Live Like Tomorrow Doesn't Exist
by littleboots1996
Summary: Following on from 'Just Do It' (20/02/16). Grace is back home with Connie but how can she cope with having her daughter and a relationship?
1. Chapter 1

She'd lost her again. Her baby girl, swept out from underneath her and there was nothing she could do. No matter how hard she tried, no matter what she felt it would never be enough.

Connie sat in her office as tears began to cascade down her cheeks. She tried steadying her breathing but every time she tried Grace invaded her thoughts.

One final time Connie wiped away the tears that had fallen and stood up pulling on her coat. She wandered out of the office locking the door before Jacob crept up beside her taking her hand in his without saying a word, although she knew he wanted to.

"I did the right thing. I'm the one that gave up on- on Grace." Jacob stopped walking but still held her hand as he turned to look down at her. He could see how much she was hurting and what it was taking for her to let her little girl walk back out of her life again.

Jacob couldn't stand back and watch as the woman he loved broke like this. "Look... Bottom line is, are you going to pay for that for the rest of your life? That was then and this is now... You're not on your own, because I'm here."

Connie looked up at Jacob before letting her gaze fall no longer able to maintain the facade that she'd created and held for so long. This man really cared about her, no one had ever been by her side quite like he was. "Come here..."

Jacob pulled Connie into his chest as she began to cry. Tears fell down her cheeks as she kept her arms tightly wrapped around him. "Now you can either stand here and feel sorry for yourself... Or... Follow your heart, for once."

Connie couldn't keep running but could she really do this. Could she get to Grace and prove how much she meant to her, would she even want to see her again after letting her go. Could she be a Mum again? Connie looked up at Jacob nodding briefly before pulling away from him and running to her car.

She was too busy fumbling about with her belt and the keys as Jacob climbed in beside her. Connie looked over about to question him as to what he was doing but didn't get the chance. "Shut up and drive." Connie lingered for a brief moment before turning back to the wheel and starting the engine.

The whole drive was full of thoughts whirling around Connie's head. The only thing she knew was that she couldn't lose Grace, not now not ever. She was her world and it had just taken her time to realise how much she needed her in her life.

Jacob's hand settled on her thigh as she continued to drive. Nothing would stop her from reaching her baby girl. She drove as fast as she could with little care of anything except her final destination.

The drive had never seemed so long as it did in this moment. All she wanted was Grace in her arms. She regretted ever standing back and letting her walk away. She found herself questioning if she would be doing this if Jacob wasn't beside her, pushing her forwards.

Connie continued to drive recklessly across the city, she couldn't risk not seeing her. The silence broke when Connie asked Jacob something she'd wanted to all day. "Why?" Jacob looked up at her not expecting her to speak.

"Because Connie, whether you believe it or not people care about you, a lot. You might have given up on yourself but I haven't... I know how much you love Grace and we both know how much your world fell apart when you saw her here again."

Connie listened to him but tried not to think about his words as she knew she wouldn't be able to control her emotions and right now, she was in desperate need of clear vision at this speed. "Thank you-" "Don't, this is about you and your baby girl not me. Just drive."

Connie glanced at him quickly before nodding and pressing her foot to the floor as they shot past everyone else on the road. They were so close but they'd be leaving now, how could she compete with a plane!

They drove into the small airport and sped through the hangar until they rounded the plane and stopped the car. Connie was out of it before she'd barely stopped with Jacob following her.

Connie stopped the other side of the plane but her breathing quickened as she panicked about the response she'd get from her daughter. She turned to Jacob who put an arm out and held her looking down at her.

Their eyes met, Jacob didn't need to say anything and neither did Connie. It was hard for her to show what she wanted and he knew that this would be one of the hardest things she'd ever do. Connie spun back around, tears forming in her eyes as the plane door was opened to reveal Grace with Sam behind.

Connie moved forwards so that she was only footsteps away from her daughter. Her throat felt dry and she wanted the ground to open and swallow her up. It was now or never.

Grace walked down the steps with a smile as she faced her Mum. Connie reached forwards and placed her hands either side of Grace's face. "Sweetheart, giving you up..." Her voice was shaky from the emotions that were passing through her. It was obvious how much she was hurting, no longer trying to hide from Grace how much she missed her. "Giving you up wass the worst thing I've ever done and I will never ever do that again..." Connie pulled Grace into her arms as the tears freely fell down her cheeks.

"I love you so much..." Connie held onto Grace as she rested her chin on her Mum's shoulder. Grace held on just as tightly, it was all she had ever wanted to hear her Mum say. Grace smiled as her eyes watered. "I'm so sorry." Connie's face was stained with her tears, everything in that moment was obvious.

Sam stood behind with a shocked look on his face. He had never expected Connie to fight back, for her to stop them from getting back on with their lives. Jacob watched as Sam looked on at them. He had nothing against the guy, well other than the NHS remarks and taking the women he loved child away, but he was glad they seemed to have one up on Sam in that moment.


	2. Chapter 2

"You said you didn't want me-" "Grace I could never say that... You're my little girl, my baby." Connie looked up at Grace who seemed to be fighting between her head and heart.

"But I heard-" "Baby when you left everything went wrong. I didn't want a life without you in it, I can't be okay when I lost the one thing I had always wanted." The tears continued to fall down Connie's cheeks. She knew she could never get Grace to believe her.

Sam looked at the flight attendant and back to Grace. "Grace we need to go, other people are waiting for this flight too." Jacob glared across at Sam knowing he couldn't care less about Connie's feelings in that moment.

"That's not fair and you know it-" "Jacob don't." Connie looked up at him before letting go of the breath she'd been holding slowly and turned to Grace. "Baby I know I don't deserve you, the way things were, I could never expect you to forgive me. But know that I will always love you and that I miss you every single day."

Connie began to cry again as she pulled Grace into a hug placing a kiss to her forehead. Reluctantly she stood up and looked across at her. "Go back sweetheart, call me if you want to... I love you."

Jacob wasn't sure why Connie was stepping away now when she was so close. Grace turned away from the door as Sam took one more glance to Connie before following his daughter.

Everything finally took a toll on Connie. She felt powerless yet again, her energy completely disappearing. Connie almost fell to the floor before Jacob's hands went around her waist holding her up. The cries radiated from Connie as he turned her into his chest.

He didn't say anything, he didn't know what to say to her. For the first time Jacob was speechless. She longed for Grace yet she just turned away and let her daughter go again.

Connie knew the fight for her baby was over before it even started. She just needed to show Jacob she could fight, at least one last time for her. "I can't do this Jacob-" "Why'd you let her go?"

"Because she's better off with someone who has time for her! I can't be a mother to a girl who hates me!" Connie pushed away from Jacob to walk away as he watched Grace run down the steps of the plane with her phone in her hand.

Grace ran up behind Connie and threw her arms around her waist from behind. "You're the best Mum in the world. I always wanted to be with you but you were busy and I got in the way." Connie turned to look down at Grace as she dropped to the floor for the second time.

Connie moved her hands to Grace's cheeks letting her thumb caress her cheekbones. "It doesn't mean that I never loved you Grace-" "I miss you Mum-" "I miss you too baby." Grace walked forwards enveloping her into a hug.

"I want to stay with you, I don't want you to be alone." Tears continued to run down Connie's cheeks as she cried holding her daughter. "She'll never be on her own Grace... I'm not about to walk away." Jacob stepped closer to them. "No matter how much your Mum tries to push me away." Grace looked up at him, she knew something must have been happening between them. Her Mum was never that friendly with a nurse.

Connie looked across at Grace. "Your Dad needs to go sweetheart and so do-" "No Mum. I'm not going. You say you miss me and that you don't want to let me go again-" "I don't Grace, of course I want you with me you're my daughter-" "Then don't let me go. Fight for me to stay."

Jacob watched as Connie intently watched Grace. She didn't show anything, she was exactly like her Mum. Connie stood up and walked away from Grace. "Mum?" Grace sounded upset, why would she walk away again?

Connie walked towards Sam who was back in the doorway of the plane. "We need to go-" "She's my daughter too, this isn't fair Sam!" He sighed before looking at her. "You abandoned her, not the other way around-" "And you can't expect me to not spend time with my baby girl who I raised for 10 years of her life with no help!"

Sam stepped down so he was level with Connie. "We're going home-" "No. I'm not letting you walk away with her again, I won't let it happen." Grace looked across at Jacob as a smile passed both of their faces quickly. She was fighting for her, really fighting for her.

Sam looked past Connie and reached a hand forward for Grace who ran over and took it. "Say goodbye Gracie, we're leaving." A look of panic spread Connie's face while Jacob looked confused. "Goodbye Dad..." Sam turned back and looked down at Grace. "I want to stay with Mum, just for a while. She wants me Dad-" "For how long Grace? How long until she forgets about you and come crying to us again?"

Grace dropped Sam's hand shaking her head. "It's different now... Mum's not alone this time." Grace walked backwards, her eyes still on her Dad. She stopped beside Jacob as she reached up and held his hand.

Sam could see Grace slipping away back to Connie. "How long until you get bored of this one? Hmm, move on and cause more pain to Grace all because you can't commit and stop yourself from sleeping aro-" Connie swiftly slapped Sam. It hadn't been the first time she'd done that, but this time it was not ending in her kissing him.

Sam looked past Connie to Grace. "You really want to stay with your Mum?" Grace watched as Connie faced her. The tears still evident in her face. Grace smiled and nodded. "Sorry Dad, I didn't mean to upset you or cause a problem." Sam shook his head. "You haven't caused the problem sweetheart. I've got to go, I'll call you and we'll sort this out."

Grace nodded as Sam boarded the plane once again. Connie watched him go before facing Grace who ran into her arms again. Jacob watched as Connie held onto Grace, tears forming in her eyes once again but finally for another reason.

Sam watched from the window as Jacob moved closer to the two girls. He placed a hand on Connie's shoulder while his other went to Grace's back. "Come on, let's go home."


	3. Chapter 3

Grace lay asleep in the bed that had remained the same since she left for America. The untouched bedroom had bought a smile to Grace's face as she walked in earlier that evening.

Connie was perched on the side of the bed brushing her hair away from her face and running her fingertips across her cheek. The number of times Connie had sat in this room, hoping and praying that when she looked back her baby would be lying there.

Jacob was sitting downstairs, Connie had told him to stay for a bit as she wanted to talk to him. As he sat there he began to think Connie had fallen asleep herself. He decided to go up and check before leaving.

He passed Grace's room only to hear Connie's voice. Jacob stood in the doorway leaning against the frame watching her unnoticed. "You're my world Grace, the only person I could ever really love... I'm so sorry for everything I've done."

Connie continued to watch her daughter sleep, never wanting to move in fear of turning back and seeing that she'd gone. "I love you so much baby." Tears fell down her cheeks again as she tried to keep her crying to a minimum but it didn't seem to be going that way. "I never want you to leave me again... I always want you around making me late, tearing up my work, complaining that I moan too much. I don't care anymore. I can't watch you walk out of my life again, I can't."

Jacob watched as her heart broke all over again. He stepped into the room quietly placing a hand on Connie's shoulder. She didn't realise he was there until she looked up and saw he'd heard her. "I can't lose her Jacob-" "Hey, you won't... Come here." He pulled Connie into a standing position and into his chest.

He held her rubbing his hand up and down her back. Jacob pressed a kiss to her cheek before holding onto her again. "You've been strong for so long, it's okay to cry..." He just kept her in his embrace until she seemed to have it under control again.

Connie pulled away and looked back to Grace sleeping. As much as the small smile on her face wanted to stay there she couldn't keep it on her face. Jacob watched Connie brushing the hair from her face and pushing it behind her ear. "You should go Jacob its late-" "And you should get some sleep but you won't."

Jacob laced his fingers through hers causing her to glance up at him. "That and I love you. When I said you weren't alone, I meant it. I'm not leaving your side no matter how hard you try to say you don't need someone." Connie felt her eyes water before she looked back to her daughter.

"I know what you're doing..." Connie looked at him shaking her head but not really moving her eyes for longer than a few seconds from Grace. "You're scared. You're scared that if you walk away when you look back she'll be gone. That if you don't stay here, when you wake up it would have all been a dream. You're scared you'll lose her."

Connie's breath got caught in her throat as Jacob tightened his hold on her hand. "But she's not going anywhere, your baby is back and she chose to be here with you." Jacob took hold of her other hand turning her to face him. "Grace is here because she loves you, your her Mum and you always will be."

Jacob dropped her hand to place his on her cheek and wipe away the tears from her face. "Come on, let's get some sleep sweet cheeks..." His nickname bought a small smile to her face as she let him lead her from Grace's room.

They stopped in the doorway as Connie glanced back and finally smiled. She turned the light off and closed the door as Jacob held onto her hand tightly wandering through to her room.

Connie sat on the edge of her bed dropping her head into her hands. Jacob sat beside her wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "You know, if it helps she's clearly your daughter." Connie looked to him with a questioning look. "She's feisty and hides any emotion from everyone around her... Sound familiar?"

Jacob watched as Connie crossed the room picking up some clothes from the drawer. "I can't believe that she stayed-" "I can... Once a Mummy's girl, always a Mummy's girl." Connie smiled back at him before walking into the bathroom.

Connie got changed into a cream night dress and pulled her light dressing gown over the top, leaving it to fall open. She walked back into the bedroom dropping her clothes from the day into a basket.

Jacob smiled up at her, she was gorgeous. She moved around the room tidying things up, just keeping herself busy and Jacob noticed, he also knew why.

He got up and walked behind her putting his hands around her waist. "You're thinking about what I said, back in there aren't you?" Connie didn't say anything and kept folding, then re-folding the dress before giving up.

Connie turned around to face him. "It's late, you should go-" Jacob pressed a gentle kiss to her lips, neither of them trying to deepen it. When they parted she looked up at him. "But you don't have anything here with you-" "and unlike you, I don't need a million and one things to stay at someone's house."

She raised an eyebrow at him as he pulled his shirt over his head. Her eyes gave her away as they dropped and skimmed over his chest. "Mrs B-" "Don't Jacob." The smile fell from his face as he leant forwards and kissed her again. Her hands wrapped around his neck as she kissed him back.

Connie abruptly pulled away, all of his words finally sinking in and having some effect. "You love me?" Jacob smiled looking down at her. He knew she'd realise eventually. "Yeah, who wouldn't? I love you more than life itself Con-" This time she stopped him by attaching her lips to his.

Jacob's hands moved to her waist as he held her, while hers wrapped around his neck. She deepened the kiss as the feel of his hands on her waist and his chest pressed against hers caused things to fall into place. Connie pulled away from his lips hovering before him with her eyes closed so she couldn't see him. "I love you too."

Jacob's eyes widened as he looked down at her. He placed a hand underneath her chin and lifted her gaze to his. She opened her eyes and looked into his, never wanting to not see him looking at her this way. "I love you Jacob." His lips crashed onto hers again as he let his hands drop to her thighs picking her up.

Connie finally had it all. She had a respected career, her baby girl back who she fought for and would never let go of easily again, and a man who adored her.


	4. Chapter 4

**So I've decided to carry this on for a while and see where it goes as I've had people asking for me to continue it or post a new Jonnie fic as my others finished with... Let me know what you think and if there's anything specifically you'd like me to put into this! Thank you to the people who followed/favourited/reviewed especially Charlotte, who I apologise to for making cry after recovering from the ep ;)**

Jacob woke to see Connie already sat up in the bed staring off into the distance. He placed a hand on her thigh but seemed to get no response from her. "Sweet cheeks?" Jacob lifted himself up so that he looked across at her.

Connie finally moved her gaze to Jacob who had a worried look etched across his face. "Hmm, sorry?" Jacob shook his head as he kept his hand resting on her thigh. Although she was looking at him, it was as though she wasn't really paying attention to anything around her.

Jacob moved from the bed causing Connie to look up at him and reach for his hand. "Jacob…" He let his eyes fall back to her as she let go of his hand. "Don't leave me, please-" "Connie." He knelt back against the bed as she sat down pulling her knees to her chest. "I know that if I try and make Grace want to stay, I'll lose you-" "You really think after everything I said to you last night I'd go?"

He noticed how serious Connie was being. She was genuinely scared about losing him, why did she always think the worst? Jacob placed a hand to her cheek as a tear rolled down her face. "You're the best thing to ever walk into my life Connie." She placed her hand on top of his closing her eyes and feeling his lips press to her forehead.

Connie sighed as his arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her into his lap. She rested her head against his chest listening to the steady beating of his heart. His hand slowly moving up and down her back helped to soothe her as they sat together. Connie fell asleep against his chest causing a smile to break across his face. He carefully lay back down letting Connie curl into him as she slept once again.

A few hours later the sunlight crept in through the window, enlightening the bed. Jacob woke realising Connie was still encased in his arms. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head before manoeuvring his way from the bed to the bathroom. Jacob pulled on a shirt and some jogging bottoms before wandering downstairs to see Grace smiling at him from the living room.

"Morning-" "Hey Jacob, is Mum still asleep?" He nodded as he leant against the side in the kitchen looking across to her. Grace jumped up off the sofa and walked towards the kitchen counter. She folded her arms and rested her head on them as Jacob turned around. "Can you cook?" Jacob glanced out the corner of his eye at Grace. "Maybe..."

Jacob smiled as he pressed the switch starting to make some coffee. Grace smiled as she noticed Jacob turn back and face her, his arms crossed against his chest. "Can we make pancakes? Me and Mum used to do it all the time, I want to take them up to her." He thought about it for a moment before nodding. "I don't see why not." An even larger smile spread across Grace's face as she moved into the kitchen and helped Jacob get everything they needed.

By the time Connie had woken up they were well into making breakfast. She could hear noise coming from downstairs as she sat up in bed. Glancing around the room she noticed Jacob must be with Grace so pulled on her dressing gown and wandered down.

She stood in the entrance to the kitchen to see Jacob standing behind Grace, his hands on top of hers as they flipped the pancake. Grace smiled and laughed when she caught it, Jacob took a step back passing her a plate. Connie looked into the kitchen and was filled with several emotions, none of which Jacob and Grace had planned.

That was what they used to do together yet Grace didn't seem to care. "Morning sweet cheeks…" Jacob looked up realising she was standing in the doorway. "You were supposed to be asleep-" "Well I'm not am I?" Jacob frowned unsure as to why she sounded so annoyed. "Mum, Jacob helped me make pancake-" "I can see that, well you clearly don't need me around."

Connie turned back around and headed upstairs as Jacob winked at Grace sitting her down. He made sure everything as turned off before running up the stairs after her. "Hey-" "Don't hey me Jacob. Do you really think I'm that incapable?" Jacob stopped where he was before moving closer to her and trying to wrap his arms around her.

She pushed his hands away from her and crossed the room. "You can't just think you can replace me down there with my daughter-" "Connie that's not what I was doing, you'll always be her Mum." Connie scoffed as she faced him. "Well it looked like you were pretty cosy down there! When I said I wanted my daughter home it wasn't so that I could stand back and watch everyone push me out of it!"

Jacob began to get angered himself as she barely let him get a word in. "Would you shut up for five minutes!?" "Don't. I am not in the mood-" "When are you ever in the mood? All you do is think you know everything, well you don't." Connie kept her eyes on him as he dropped his hands. "You know what if this is how things tend to be, I'm not surprised…"

He trailed off but she already knew what he was going to say. "What? Not surprised that everyone leaves? That my daughter ran to her father in America because I couldn't care less about her? Is that it? You think that I can't take care of my daughter-" "That is not what I was saying Connie and you know I would never say that!" She walked past him as he grabbed her wrist trying to stop her. "You can't just walk away from me-" "Watch me."

She pulled her hand away from him and headed into the bathroom while Jacob sat down on the end of the bed rubbing his hand across his forehead. He could hear her crying through the bathroom door and sighed to himself. Jacob got up and knocked on the bathroom door. "Open the door-" "Just go Jacob."

He pushed the handle down and opened the door to see Connie sitting on the floor, her back against the wall. "I said go Jacob, I don't need you to stick around-" "That's not what you said this morning, and I know which part of you I believe more." He sat down beside her wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "What if I can't do it? She was happy down there, with you not me. We used to make breakfast together and she'd already asking you because she thinks I can't make time."

Jacob shook his head. "That's not true… She asked me to help her make breakfast for you, wanted to bring it up before you woke up." Connie closed her eyes dropping her head to his chest. He held onto her realising just how insecure she was. "If it makes you feel better than I'll leave the breakfast making to you-" "No, Jacob I'm sorry… I shouldn't have snapped at you like that."

He smiled offering her a hand up. Confusing spread across her face as he pulled her up. "What-" "There's a little girl down there waiting to cook for her Mum." Connie smiled briefly before running her hands across her cheeks wiping the tears away before taking his hand and going downstairs.

Within a few minutes Jacob was watching as Connie stood with Grace laughing. He never expected things to be easy in life, but it was just dawning on him how hard this was all going to be. He watched on not being able to stop himself falling for the woman before him even more. She could kick and scream all she liked, he didn't plan on going anywhere.


End file.
